Sunday, June 27, 2010

Whose watching Design Star on HGTV? Better question: Who isn't?! Design Star pits twelve designers against each other to compete for their own show on HGTV. It's basically the Survivor of interior design. Each week armchair designers watch judges Vern Yip, Candice Olson, Genevieve Gorder eliminate one contestant per week based on a design challenge. We have a real appreciation for Vern's 'tough love' when it comes to critiquing the designer's work. And we don't envy them, all of the designers are talented. It's to early to pick a winner right now, but the stereotypes are already present. Front runner for 'villain' on Design Star 2010 has to be Nina. She's opinionated, with a superiority complex that annoys her fellow cast mates. Her win in the first episode, irritated them even more but she quickly got knocked off her high horse, after she landed in the bottom two on last week's fashion episode. On the men's side Micheal Moeller has no problem telling his fellow team mates exactly what he thinks of their design sense. He told Trent in last week's episode, he didn't want to have to go behind 'restyling' Trent's contribution to the challenge. Trent chose not to argue, but was understandably upset at being told his design was bad. In the end, the adorable Courtland walked away this week's winner. He created a very sharp, modern striped wall mural as part of the fashion challenge. Unfortunately someone has to go home and so far two designers have been eliminated. The first week saw the departure of Julie Khuu and in last week's episode we said goodbye to Tera Hampton. Each gave their, "...I did the best I could. I know I am talented.." elimination speech. Now 10 remain and we'll start to see the competitiveness of some of these players. We're anxious to see more of Stacey's work and still waiting for Tom to really wow us. We can't wait for this week's episode! Stayed tuned for more Design Star updates! And by the way, former Design Star winner David Bromstad's vlog on the HGTV website is a-must-watch. Sometimes catty, but always constructive, his break down of each episode is hilarious!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

There is no denying it, Americans love their television. We've established a tradition of gathering around the TV after dinner and enjoying our favorite programs. But now, it's not just enough to have a television, we also need to make room for the high definition DVD player,the cable box, the Tivo and of course, if you have a gamer in the family, the Wii. If you're lucky, you might be able to squeeze a sound system in there, but where will you put the CDs? One solution is to invest in customizable media centers with components that can be arranged to fit your needs. One advantage to investing in multiple pieces of furniture is the ability to restyle your living space easily. The Omni+ collection includes pieces that can be mixed and matched so you can design the perfect home theater. The Omni+ Link Media Center was designed to 'link'' together with other pieces so you can add more storage to your home theater.

Omni+ is on a mission, 'to bring purpose to your home theater furniture'. They collaborate with such renowned designers as Karim Rashid to create functional media centers that are modern and hip. Available in a variety designs and finishes the Omni+ collection will give your media room a sophisticated look without sacrificing what you truly need-storage! Check out more of the Omni+collection on Bobby Berk Home.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Father's Day is Sunday, have you chosen a gift for your dad? No? Well, not to fear, we've put together a few ideas for you!

A desk clock by Jonas Damon might be just what dad needs to keep him on time for those important meetings. The Numbers LED Clock is a fun and unique way to display the time. It will certainly be a conversation piece for his next client meeting!

There is not a dad in the world who wouldn't love to receive a new tool for his special day. The Magis Flo Step Ladder will fit perfectly in dad's workspace. Perfect for when you need a step stool or smaller ladder to get the job done. The Flo Step Ladder folds easily and his compact enough to tuck next to his work bench.

Give dad a comfy chair to relax in after a hard day at the office. The O'Neil Leather Chair would make a cozy resting spot for your pop. Made with high quality leather and stuffed white down feathers, you'll have a hard time getting him to leave it!

Spruce up your father's home office with a new desk. The Knu Knu Desk #3 is available in different 6 different eco-friendly veneer choices, so you're sure to find the style that fits your dad best.

Accessorize dad's new desk with a new desk set from Singgih Kartono. Made out of renewable wood, the desk sets are hand-crafted in Indonesian villages, providing their communities with much needed jobs. Give dad a gift and help others at the same time!

Whatever you decide to get for dad, just remember, the best gift is always your love. Happy Father's Day!

Monday, June 14, 2010

Ready to love your registry? Bobby Berk Home is excited to announce the launch of NewlyWish.com! We're proud to be one of the first retailers to partner with NewlyWish.com, an exciting new wedding registry your going to love. Couples can register for Bobby Berk Home products, shop for wedding party gifts and favors and browse products from some of NYC finest retailers. Truly a unique one-stop shopping experience. And to celebrate the launch, NewlyWish.com is giving the first 65 couples to create a wedding registry a gift from a merchant in their network (each valued at $100 or more). You could receive a $200 gift reward towards a purchase from Bobby Berk Home!

NewlyWish.com has everything you could want for your special day. From housewares to honeymoon packages, NewlyWish.com has you covered. Let your family and friends know what you really want! NewlyWish.com makes it easy for you to register. No driving all over the city, browse conveniently at your own pace, right from your home computer. You're going to love your registry, maybe as much as your big day! And hey, a free gift doesn't hurt either. So check out everything NewlyWish has to offer, get started on your registry and take a peek at the wonderful gifts they're giving away.

So many cool names to chose from but only one prize. There were a few risque ones we appreciated, but we wanted to keep this PG! ;-> Thanks to everyone who participated. So who won? You'll have to watch the video to find out!

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Raising children can be expensive. They seem to outgrow everything at an alarming rate! One money saving idea is to invest in products that can be used for years to come. The Fresco Bloom contemporary high chair was created to grow with your baby. From those first days to their school days, the Fresco Bloom high chair's European design will blend nicely in any contemporary home. With unique features such as; 3-in-1 resting and dual feeding and play trays; the chair will quickly become the most useful piece of furniture in your home! The multiple 3-in-1 positioning nestles your new baby and later, provides them with upright support as they grow. It has 360 degree swivel seat for easy access to stubborn toddlers and a multiple-position footrest that adjusts to your child's developing body. Tired mothers will love the pneumatic-assist for easy-lift and height adjustment. It will literally take a load off your back! The easy to clean leatherette upholstery is available in a range of vibrant colors, so pick your child's favorite! A multifunctional chair with style. The Fresco Bloom will continue to be a good investment for many years.

We're just baby crazy this week at Bobby Berk Home. Maybe it's because we can't wait to draw a winner for our unique baby name contest! People have been sending us their entries all week and boy have we seen some umm... specialness. Ha! It's not too late to enter, we'll draw a winner Friday, June 11th, 2010 from our 5 favorites names. What's the prize? Soooo glad you asked! We're giving away a crib set from Dwell Studio. One lucky winner will take home a complete crib set from their Paperdoll collection. The little girl cutout pattern would be a cozy addition to a new baby's room. To enter go to our Facebook Fan Page and leave us a comment with your unique name. You can enter as many times as you'd like but each name must be original. You can also leave us a blog comment with your submission. Stay tuned Friday for the big announcement and good luck!

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Looking for an alternative to down, cotton or wool comforters? What about silk? No, we're not just talking about silk covered bedding, but an actual comforter filled with silk! Introducing, Silx, makers of the Silk Filled Comforter. Silk is 100% natural and has many wonderful properties. Not only is the comforter naturally fire retardant (no chemicals), it's also hypoallergenic and inhospitable to dust mites. The secret to this luxury bedding is the 1,300 feet of hand stretched mulberry silk strands inside the comforter. And Silx will not bunch like down comforters. Each strand stays in place so you're not constantly redistributing 'filling'.The Silx comforter is nearly half the weight of down, for maximum heat retention without the heaviness of a traditional down comforter. Silk is the strongest natural fiber and contains 18 Amino acids, which can help calm the nervous system and slow the aging of skin and keep it feeling soft and smooth. The ultimate in self-indulgence and a gorgeous addition to any bedroom. Treat yourself and your skin to a luxurious Silx Comforter!

Monday, June 7, 2010

The ancient Japanese art of paper cutting is called Kirie or 'paper cutting'. Traditionally people think of this as exclusively a Japanese art form, but you may be surprised to learn the practice actually originated in China. DecoyLab uses the craft as a model for the delicate designs of their floral clocks. MaikoKuzunish, the designer and owner of DecoyLab has taken inspiration from the ancient art form to create a more modern look for her Kirie clocks. Working out of her small studio in Kansas City, Missouri she strives to make eco-friendly products that are also functional and beautiful. The dainty clocks are made of ivory acrylic and are backed by bamboo to give contrast to the pattern featured. This charming clock will be the highlight of any room! Bobby Berk Home is proud to carry many clocks by Decoylab. Click here to view them. Eager to understand the art of Kirie better? We found a snappy little video on You Tube, that gives a quick look at the process. Check out the video below!

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Dwell Studios was founded in 1999 in an effort to introduce modern textile design into home decorating. Dwell Home Furnishings is a division that creates bedding for adults, infants and children that are modern in design and classic in style at the same time. The company has already staked its claim as one of the best with its eye for unique color combination and layouts.The sheets that are offered by Dwell are woven from 100% Egyptian cotton. One of the features that most makes Dwell so original is the fact that the bedding is reactive printed to keep its saturated color that the company's bedding is famous for. Need a tip on how to get wrinkle free Dwell sheets after laundering them? Dwell recommends that you take the bedding out of your dryer when it is just slightly damp, and place them on the bed to finish.

The designs of Dwell are sophisticated variants of classic motifs, using floral mixes, stripes and strong solids. These are not your grandma's patterns, though. The patterns are very large and distinct. Instead of a spread decorated with thousands of tiny flowers, there might be a single, super-sized white daisy on a brown-colored spread instead. Using flowers for bedding is not new; Dwell using one giant flower for bedding is!

Another unique feature of this promo bedding is that it is all designed to coordinate beautifully with pieces from Dwell's other collections. Mixing and matching is what Dwell is all about. For example, duvet sets are made to work perfectly with their Trim Sheets and their Quilted Collections. The company prides itself too on making bedding that is easy to clean that launders beautifully. No matter your taste or your budget, Dwell makes something for everyone, so if you are dying to remodel your bedroom, give Dwell a try!

Friday, June 4, 2010

If you are tired of the same old designs when it comes to home decor, you may want to investigate the company notNeutral.Although it is a young company, it is already known worldwide as one of the top emerging design and decorating firms in the United States.The key to the company's successful designs is its urban flair that is unique only to notNeutral.The company's trademarks include landscape architecture, exhibit and product design as well as many other sorts of architectural work.

One of the most unique traits of the notNeutral firm is the pattern of colors and designs that the designers use- they have available to their credit everything from linens to children’s furniture to 700-seat entertainment venues as well as everything in between.Designs for bedding tend to be simple, graceful, colorful and playful.The furniture and bedding is made of organic cotton and poly blend fill, with materials that are non-toxic and also biodegradable.

Designs for children's bedding is created with parents in mind as well as the children.For example, one of their designs for a children's bed is decorative and charming for a child to fall in love with, but it will also have a toy box or storage bin attached to it, which parents love.

notNeutral is very well known not only for their bedding and their beds but also for the children's furniture that they create.Colors that the company's high quality furniture is available in include lotus green, persimmon orange and ozone blue.Thermoplastic polymer paint and polyurethane finishes are used for notNeutral furniture, which is oil resistant, durable and also very easy to clean.notNeutral has furniture that is not only classy but is also functional, affordable, and durable.The functionality and attractiveness of all of their products is unsurpassed, and it is becoming easy to spot these distinct notNeutral products amongst other products by other companies.So if you are desperate for fresh, original, fun and beautiful pieces of furniture or bedding this spring for your home, head to Bobby Berk Home and shop around until your heart's content!

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Oh baby, it's officially win it Wednesday and boy is it a good one. This week we are giving away a beautiful Dwell Studio Paper Dolls Crib Set! A special treat for any baby girl's room, the Paper Dolls collection features sweet cut-outs reminiscent of the paper dolls you played with as a child. The crib set includes: Bumber, Fitted Sheet, Crib Skirt and Play Blanket. How does one win this fabulous package you may ask? Well, we're giving you a little challenge. We want to hear your ideas for unique baby girl names. Goth, Wiccan, Klingon are always good resources for unusual baby names. Be creative! Submit your names by commenting on this blog post (one name per comment please) or on our Facebook Fan Page. You can enter more than once but each name must be original. We'll choose 5 of the craziest names and randomly draw a winner from those selected. One lucky winner will walk away with the prize, so start brainstorming. Drawing will be held Friday June 11th. We look forward to hearing all of your wild ideas, good luck!

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Sure we love the simplistic retro modern design of the Magno Radio, but it's the craftsmanship and commitment to social responsibility that really impresses us! Singgih Kartono's Magno Radio, revitalizes craft industries in Indonesian villages, by creating jobs for local people. By creating jobs, Magno, provides them the opportunity to better their community and thus, improve their own quality of life. Kartono says,

"During my final years at university, I was troubled by a very big question: Where should I go and what should I do after I graduate? Should I work as an in-house designer, for a design office, somewhere in the city or should I go back to my village Kandangan in Central Java And set up a business?"

Singgih chose to return to his village and create a new industry more suitable to his village's way of life, manufacturing handcrafted design products.

"Craft is an alternative economic activity that has the potential to be developed and to grow in villages. It has characteristics that are suitable for villages' living conditions and growth prospects."

Singgih's dedication to revitalizing his community also applies to the materials he uses to create his products. He utilizes local wood that is sustainably harvested. And for every tree that is used in production, a new one is planted.We support Singgih Kartono in his quest to transform communities with socially responsible design! The Magno Radio is available at Bobby Berk Home.